I met Yelena and Hector in Orlando for their engagement session and was delighted that they brought their adorable Yorkie, Polo! Most of you know that I’m an animal lover with a capital “AL” so it was a special treat for me. I loved spending every minute with the three of them! Here’s a pic from our fun E-Session! Polo was more interested in what was going on around him and less interested in my squeaky voice and pointing that big “thing” at him but if I was sporting that tie, I’d be checking out the scenery too!

What I loved most about this wedding was how close I felt to Yelena by the time her “big day” came around. But it’s more than that too. I usually don’t blend my personal life with my wedding posts, because after all, this post is about Yelena and Hector’s wedding day, but sometimes God puts the right people in our life to help us out when we need it. Three weeks prior to their wedding, my best friend and the love of my life, Dylan (my dog) became very ill and I spent three weeks (and a fortune) trying to save his life and make him better. In the end, he passed away and I just needed to get away and spend some time soaking in a hot tub, remembering the good times, and to focus on something other than the pain I felt. That was Yelena and Hector’s wedding. It kind of saved me from myself for a while until I could come to grips with the loss I felt. I arrived a day early at the Hilton Grand Cypress and did a little “lobby shooting, met a cool parrot, and ran into Yelena and Hector. That resulted in these photos. (yes, I’m always camera ready)

When it was time for Hector to read his vows, his best man discovered that he didn’t have them. Luther, being the easy going Officiant that he is, said “no worries” just say what you can remember. I think Hector’s expressions tell it all. The good news is, the vows were found and after some giggles and lots of smiles, they were recited….and beautifully, I might add.